1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a refrigerant processing and transferring system for recovering the refrigerant from a refrigeration system during repairs, separating contaminants from the refrigerant removed from the refrigeration system, and then returning the processed refrigerant to the repaired refrigeration system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Refrigerant recovery systems are used to prevent the loss of refrigerants in refrigerant systems when the refrigerant has to be removed in order to effect repairs. Due to the increase in the cost of refrigerants, as well as the growing concern on the adverse effects refrigerants have on the environment when discharged into the atmosphere, refrigerant recovery systems have been used to remove and store the refrigerants of refrigerant systems under repair. Most refrigerant systems also include some scheme for removing contaminates from the removed refrigerant before transferring the processed refrigerant back to the repaired refrigerant system.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,020 issued Jan. 1, 1991 to Carmerlo J. Scuderi discloses a refrigerant recovery system using a filter dryer to remove moisture and particulate contaminants from the removed refrigerant. The processed refrigerant is then sent to a discriminator chamber to direct vaporous refrigerants to a condenser before being stored in a receiver, while liquid refrigerants are channeled directly to the receiver.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,998,416 issued Mar. 12, 1991 to Van Steenburgh, Jr. discloses a refrigerant recovery system using a filter dryer, oil separator, a condenser, and a compressor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,908 issued Mar. 26, 1991 to Donald K. Mayer discloses a refrigerant recovery system in which an oil separator recycles some of the oil recovered from the refrigerant to the crankcase of the compressor.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,230 issued Jun. 11, 1991 to James J. Todack discloses a portable refrigerant recovery system designed to retrieve, clean, filter, transfer, and reclaim refrigerants such as refrigerant R-11, R-12, R-114, R-500, and R-502.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.